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Introduction

For more than a decade, NASA'southward Cassini spacecraft shared the wonders of Saturn and its family of icy moons—taking us to astounding worlds where methane rivers run to a methane sea and where jets of water ice and gas are diggings material into infinite from a liquid h2o sea that might harbor the ingredients for life.

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Cassini revealed in great particular the true wonders of Saturn, a giant world ruled past raging storms and frail harmonies of gravity.

Cassini carried a passenger to the Saturn organisation, the European Huygens probe—the start human-made object to land on a world in the distant outer solar system.

Later on 20 years in space — 13 of those years exploring Saturn — Cassini exhausted its fuel supply. And so, to protect moons of Saturn that could have weather condition suitable for life, Cassini was sent on a daring final mission that would seal its fate. Subsequently a series of almost two dozen nail-bitter dives betwixt the planet and its icy rings, Cassini plunged into Saturn'due south atmosphere on Sept. 15, 2017, returning science data to the very end.

10 Ways Cassini Mattered

x Ways Cassini Mattered

1

Cassini-Huygens was a mission of firsts. Beginning to orbit Saturn. First landing in the outer solar organization. First to sample an extraterrestrial sea.

2

Cassini expanded our understanding of the kinds of worlds where life might exist.

3

Cassini-Huygens revealed Titan to be one of the nigh Earth-like worlds we've encountered and shed calorie-free on the history of our home planet.

4

Cassini was, in a sense, a time machine. Information technology revealed the processes that likely shaped the development of our solar system.

5

Cassini's long mission enabled u.s.a. to notice weather and seasonal changes on another planet.

6

Cassini revealed Saturn's moons to be unique worlds with their own stories to tell.

seven

Cassini showed united states of america the complexity of Saturn'southward rings and the dramatic processes operating within them.

8

What Cassini constitute at Saturn prompted scientists to rethink their understanding of the solar system.

9

Cassini represented a staggering achievement of human being and technical complexity, finding innovative means to use the spacecraft.

10

Cassini revealed the beauty of Saturn, its rings and moons, inspiring our sense of wonder.

Notable Explorers

Xianzhe Jia

Scientist

"Cassini is such a fantastic mission. It not only caused a wealth of data that led to numerous discoveries, but also raised a new generation of planetary scientists, including myself."

Todd J. Barber

Propulsion Engineer

I think making tons of money is overrated if y'all're not actively psyched virtually what you go to do all day. Passion drives me, information technology fuels me, and it'south what matters most to me.

Sarah Milkovich

Planetary Geologist and Scientific discipline Systems Engineer

"Exist curious well-nigh everything -- take every opportunity that presents itself to larn new things."

Rosaly Lopes

Senior Research Scientist

"Study hard and practice what y'all honey, and then information technology doesn't feel similar work."

Robert (Bob) Pappalardo

Europa Mission Project Scientist

"The most exciting moments are the 'aha moments' when a scientific problem that you've been wrestling with suddenly falls into place and begins to make sense."

Robert Mitchell

Retired Program Managing director

"The Ranger missions looked a lot more exciting to me than what I was doing at the fourth dimension, and so I sent my resume off to JPL. I've been hither ever since."

Richard "Rick" Grammier (1955 - 2011)

Quondam Director for Solar Arrangement Exploration

"His spirit will keep to inspire u.s. every bit we continue our quest to sympathise the Universe."

Rachel Mastrapa

Research Scientist

"Scientific discipline and math are role natural gifts and part practice. You don't take to be a genius to be successful."

Phillips Davis

Website Editor/Curator

"Ask lots of questions. Be persistent. And never stop exploring your options."

Morgan Cablevision

Enquiry Scientist

"Information technology'due south hard to say no when interesting things come up."

Michele Dougherty

Principal Investigator, Magnetometer Instrument, Cassini Mission

"There volition be times when you don't recollect yous are doing the correct thing, just don't make whatever hasty decisions. Just hang on in at that place."

Michael Staab

Mission Operations Engineer

"Stalk is, by far, the coolest field to get into. We fly spacecraft around other planets; how much ameliorate tin it get?"

Kathleen Mandt

Planetary Scientist

"Because I took such a non-traditional path, I hope to serve as an example to others who may feel that they are besides old to go afterwards their dreams."

Julie Castillo-Rogez

Planetary Geophysicist

"My first personal connection with outer infinite occurred during the inflow of Voyager ii at Neptune."

Joseph Chase

Mars Odyssey and NEOWISE Projection Manager

"I'm project manager for NASA'southward Mars Odyssey orbiter, and I as well work on the NEOWISE project."

Jonathan Lunine

Scientist

No man had ever seen this landscape before. And for a menstruum of maybe 20 minutes, half hour, we were the but ones to see this alien earth.

Joan Stupik

Engineer

I'm actually excited to be a part of the spacecraft that will be learning about a identify where scientists think there could exist some form of life.

Jeffrey Cuzzi

Research Scientist

"Stay close to subjects that fascinate you personally, just also ask why is the subject of import."

Hunter Waite

Co-Investigator, MASPEX-Europa Investigation for Europa Clipper

"Get lots of adept chemistry, physics and math groundwork in college."

Elizabeth "Zibi" Turtle

Scientist

Just because it isn't always piece of cake doesn't hateful you lot can't do information technology and do it well.

David Doody

Flight Operations Lead Engineer

"To be able at present to piece of work on projects that are flying to the planets has been really a dream."

Brusque Niebur

Program Scientist

Having a dream is a must. Having a programme is an excellent idea, but you also have to be willing to leap at unexpected opportunities.

Claudia Alexander (1959-2015)

Scientist

"Science and math are fascinating and fundamental. They require as much subject area as an athlete working to be a football player, or a musician attempting to state a recording contract."

Catherine Neish

Assistant Professor

"I'm an explorer at heart. I love to explore new worlds, whether in our solar system, or here on Earth."

Candice Hansen

Scientist

Study lots of math. Math is the linguistic communication of science.

Brent Buffington

Engineer

I never had this overwhelming fascination with space — rather, I only slowly gravitated toward information technology.

Bonnie Buratti

Projection Scientist

"When I was a niggling girl Sputnik was launched, and I was instantly drawn into the whole miracle of spaceflight and exploring the cosmos."

Bobak Ferdowsi

Systems Engineer

"The great thing about being at NASA is that in that location are jobs for all types—whether it'southward technology, science, finance, communication, law."

Amy Simon

Planetary Scientist

"Sometimes you lot have to tackle a problem from many different ways to understand it and you should never be afraid to ask for help."

Alice Wessen

Public Engagement Managing director

"Passion and tenacity, coupled with patience and humor. All will serve y'all well regardless of what yous do."

Albert "Joey" Jefferson

Flight Systems Engineer

"The wonderful part of working at JPL is that perfection isn't expected; however, progression is expected."

Abi Rymer

Scientist

Most of my heroes have succeeded against the odds in some way.

Xianzhe Jia

Scientist

"Cassini is such a fantastic mission. It non only caused a wealth of data that led to numerous discoveries, but as well raised a new generation of planetary scientists, including myself."

Quick Facts

Quick Facts

ii.v million commands executed

four.9 billion miles traveled since launch (seven.nine billion kilometers)

635 GB scientific discipline data nerveless

~4,000 science papers published

six named moons discovered

294 orbits completed

162 targeted flybys of Saturn's moons

453,048 images taken

27 nations participated

360 engine burns completed

What's Next?

What's Adjacent?

Before the mission ended, Cassini was an already powerful influence on future exploration. In revealing that Enceladus has essentially all the ingredients needed for life, the mission energized a pin to the exploration of "ocean worlds" that has been sweeping planetary science over the past couple of decades.

Lessons learned during Cassini'due south mission are being practical in planning NASA's Europa Clipper mission, planned for launch in the 2020s. Europa Clipper will make dozens of flybys of Jupiter's ocean moon to investigate its possible habitability, using an orbital tour design derived from the manner Cassini explored Saturn.

Further out in the solar organisation, scientists have long had their eyes assault exploring Uranus and Neptune. So far, each of these worlds has been visited by only one brief spacecraft flyby (Voyager 2, in 1986 and 1989, respectively). Collectively, Uranus and Neptune are referred to every bit ice giant planets. A diversity of potential mission concepts are discussed in a recently completed study, delivered to NASA in preparation for the adjacent Decadal Survey—including orbiters, flybys, and probes that would swoop into Uranus' atmosphere to study its composition. Time to come missions to the ice giants might explore those worlds using an approach similar to Cassini's mission.

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Raw Images

Explore the full annal of raw images collected by the Cassini mission from 2004 to 2017.

More to Explore

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  Graphics

  Illustrations, artwork and infographics that reveal the inner workings of the Cassini mission.

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  Hall of Fame

  Cassini has returned thousands of great images. These are the best of the best.

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  Videos

  Data-driven science visualizations and captivating digital animations.

More Resource

More Resources

Cassini End-of-Mission Press Kit

Cassini-Huygens Saturn Arrival Press Kit

Cassini Launch Press Kit

Planetary Data System (search for Cassini for all available data)

NASA Planetary Photojournal: Cassini-Huygens

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